Reversible lap table and tray



138 3l a. M. paw 235 93 9 REVERSIBLE LAP TABLE mm TRAY Filed Febb 12,1960 2 sheeis Sheet E.

INVENTOR. DEWEY M. DOW

ATTORNEY BYWM 0.53m

REVERSIBLE LAP TABLE AND TRAY Filed F'sb, 12, 1960 2 Sheets-Shem 2JNVENTCR. DEWEY M. DOW

ATTORNEYM States REVERSIBLE LAP TABLE AND TRAY Dewey M. Dow, 4001Estateway, Toledo, Ohio Filed Feb. 12, 1960, Ser. No. 8,447

3 Claims. (Cl. 311-25) This invention relates to a combined table andtray unit conveniently supported on the lap of a person, for example,and which is provided with adjustable supporting legs connected to theunit in a new and improved manner enabling speedy and convenientadjustment to one of a number of positions. The unit is thus extremelyversatile because of the use as a table or a tray, as well as theability to arrange it selectively in one of many positions.

An object is to produce a leg support which can be rocked from one sideto the other so that one or the other supporting surface may be used andcan be releasably retained in one or another selected position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appearand for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments ofthe invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure lis a top perspective view of the reversible combined table and tray;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the rail showingthe cam plate with one end of the leg attached thereto;

Figure 3 is a sectional view substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the cam plate viewed from the inner side;

Figure 5 is a sectional view substantially on the line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevation showing an alternate mountingfor the end portion of the legs to afford the adjustment thereof;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on the line 7-7 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view substantially on the line 8-8 of Figure 7;and

Figure 9 is an edge elevation of the positioning cam shown on Figures 6to 8.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention, shown on Figures 1 to 5,comprises an elongate rectangular flat panel 10 of wood, plastic or anysuitable sheet material having an upper side 10a and a lower or underside 10b. Suitably secured to the edge portion of the panel 10 andprojecting at substantially right angles thereto above the side 10a is arail 11. It will be observed that a portion of the under part of therail which projects over the edge of the panel is flush with the undersurface 10b so that the side 10a of the panel, when in the upperposition, provides a tray since the rail extends completely therearoundand above the surf-ace of the panel. 0n the other hand, by turning thepanel over, the opposite side provides a flat surface or table. As willhereinafter appear, this construction greatly increases the uses towhich the combined table and tray may be employed.

Formed in each of the end rails is a pair of recesses 12, each recessbeing positioned closer to the outer end of the respective railsections. Covering each of .the recesses 12 is an oblong metallic camplate 13 Whichis secured in place by a pair of screws 14. Struck fromthe outer side ofeach plate 13 to project into the respective recesses12 are four ears 15 which are arranged in circular form and are spacedfrom each other to provide notches therebetween for a purposehereinafter explained, each of these ears being formed with an inclinedcam edge portion 16. In order to retain sulficient strength in thecentral portion of the cam plate and without the necessity of increasingthe diameter thereof to an impractical point, a pair of ears 17 isstruck from portions of the plate beyond the diameter of the circleformed by the ears 15.

Concentric with a circle formed by the ears 15 is a hole 18 throughwhich extends an L-shaped end portion 19 formed on U-shaped legs 20,there being two of these legs as indicated. The cross arm of the U ofeach of these legs is upwardly arched to fit comfortably over the kneesor upper leg portions of a person as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The end of the L-shaped portions 19 is blunt and adapted to fit in thenotches between the ears for retaining the leg in a position ofadjustment. It will be understood that the legs 20 are formed of a rodor tubing and have inherent resiliency so that by pressing inwardly onboth end portions of a U-leg so that the L-shaped end portions clear thevarious ears, the respective leg may be rocked to a selected positionwhereupon the leg portions are released so that they snap into aparticular notch where the leg is securely retained in position.

By swinging the legs to one position, the tray 10a is uppermost but bycompletely swinging the legs to the opposite position, then the table10b is uppermost for use. The change from tray to table is accomplishedby the rocking of the arms after first pressing inwardly on the free endportions of each leg, pressure being applied to the legs at a point justbelow the frame and at the same time rotating the leg to the desiredposition. When the legs are rocked to a position substantially inalignment with the panel 10, the combined table and tray is then instorage position.

From the above, it is manifest that the combined table and tray may beused as a dinner or snack tray, a bed tray, a writing desk, -a bookrest, a sewing table, a one or two hand game table as well as a surfaceor table for drawing, sketching or painting. Furthermore it may be usedin an automobile for reading maps or route cards or for an intransitlunch. Indeed it can be employed for almost any activity where a sittingposition is desirable and a tray or flat surface, inclined or level isdesirable. The combined table and tray rests on the users lap and isalways at a comfortable height. It is extremely simple to reverse fromtray to table or to change the angle and fits any lap and can be usedwith any type of chair or seat. As above pointed out, by extending thelegs in substantial alignment with the panel 10, it can be compacted forstorage or can be hung on standard closet hooks or in sets of four on afloor rack designed for this purpose.

The alternate form shown on Figures 6 to 9 comprises a flat panel 10'which has an edge rail 11'. Similarly formed legs 20' support thecombined table and tray in position, but in this instance the ends ofthe legs are flattened as indicated at 21. Each flattened end 21 isprovided with a hole through which extends a journal pin 22 which has akey end 22a.

The key end 22a extends through a similarly shaped key hole 23 formed ina base plate 24 of a positioning cam. The end portion of the rivet withthe key end 22a extends into a socket 25 formed in the rail 11'. Thepositioning cam base plate 24 is secured to the rail 11' by screws 26.

Fitting over and concealing the positioning cam is a 3 cam housing 27 ofcup-shaped form. The housing 27 has a central aperture through which thejournal pin 22 extends, there being a shoulder on the pin on the insideof the flattened-arm portion 21 and the outer portion being riveted overas indicated at 28 to retain these parts in assembled relation forconjoint rotation.

Projecting outwardly from the edge portion of the positioning cam baseplate 24 is a series of cam flanges 29 which have inclined or cammededge portions 30, the flanges being spaced from each other to providenotches therebetween into which the adjacent portion of the respectiveleg 20 may extend.

In this instance, inorder to adjust the legs 20 to one position oranother, it is first necessary that the end portions be flexed outwardlyby grasping both sides of the U and pressing the same outwardly toenable the arms to clear the flanges 29 and at the same time rock thelegs to the desired position whereupon due to the inherent resilience ofthe legs, the latter will snap inwardly into selected notches. In thismanner the legs are securely retained in the adjusted position andenable the combined table and tray to be supported in the desiredposition.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and choice ofmaterials may be effected without departing from the spirit oftheinvention, especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a flat panel, a continuousrail connected to the panel and pro jecting at substantially rightangles from one side only of the panel, thereby to enable one side toconstitute a tray and the other side a table, a pair of plates disposedclosely adjacent each end edge of said paneland spaced from the tableside of the panel, means providing an annular series of notches on eachplate, a pair of U-shaped legs of flexible resilient material, andterminal portions of said legs rotatably engaging opposite platesrespectively to lie selectively in said notches and releasably retainedtherein by the resilience of the legs and being releasable therefrom byfiexure of the respective end portions f 4 the legs out of the engagednotches, the legs being so designed that they may be rotated from oneside of the panel to the other side to enable either side of the panelto be used.

2. The organization as claimed in claim 1 in which the rail is formedwith recesses over which the plates are respectively arranged, inwardlyextending spaced ears on the plate providing notches therebetween,L-shaped end portions on said legs extending through holes in the platesrespectively for rotation therein, and inclined ends on certain of saidears for inwardly camming the said end portions, whereby legadjustmentis effected by flexing the end portions of the respective legs towardeach other and then rotating same to the desired position so that uponreleasing same the said end portions spring into the selected notches.

3. The organization as claimed in claim 1 which the plates are formedwith outwardly extending peripherally spaced cam flanges providingnotches between adjacent flanges, journal pins rotatable in holes insaid plates respectively, key means retaining said journal pins inoperative position except in one position where the pins may bedisengaged from the respective plates, cup-shaped cam housings overlyingsaid cam flanges respectively, and means for'securing each journal pinto a leg terminal portion and a cam housing whereby leg adjustment iseffected by outwardly flexing opposite terminal portions for clearingthe cam flanges and rotating the leg to the selected notches andreleasing the terminal portions to allow the same to spring into notchengagement.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,901,732 Clark Mar. 14, 1933 1,906,865 Knox May 2, 1933 2,001,438 StuckMay 14, 1935 2,583,811 Boyes et al Jan. 29, 1952 2,633,395 Zenner Mar.31, 1953 2,697,018 Georgides Dec. 14, 1954

